ST. JOHN'S, NL, Sept. 27, 2012 /CNW/ - Security screeners serving Atlantic Canada airports are voting on potential strike action after their employer demanded concessions at the bargaining table.
Negotiations broke down late Wednesday between the airport screeners - members of the United Steelworkers (USW) - and multinational security giant Securitas.
About 800 security screeners at all Atlantic Canada airports are voting over the next few days to give their negotiating committee the mandate to call a strike. Results of the strike mandate vote are expected by the end of next week.
"We're in this position because, rather than negotiate a fair deal, Securitas threw a final offer at our members that attacks their modest working and living standards," said Marty Warren, Assistant to Wayne Fraser, USW Director for Atlantic Canada and Ontario.
"This is the world's largest security company, which is being paid $480 million by our federal government, and they're demanding concessions from workers who in many cases are struggling to get by," Warren said.
The collective agreement between the airport screeners and Securitas expires Oct. 31.
"There is time to avert a labour dispute, if Securitas is committed to negotiating a fair deal that recognizes the important and stressful work done by airport security screeners," Warren said.
Contract talks broke down Wednesday after Securitas presented a 'take-it-or-leave-it' offer demanding concessions from the screeners, USW negotiator Boyd Bussey said.
"They want to gut our collective agreement so they can do more work with fewer people, and increase the stress and workload that security screeners face," Bussey said. The company also rejected any improvements in benefits and pensions, he said.
Securitas recently received a $481-million contract from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) - a federal government agency - to provide screening services at airports in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.
"Passengers also pay significant fees for security screening and they have a right to expect improvements, not reductions, in services," Bussey said.
"So where's all the money going? The workers are not getting it, so what is Securitas doing with it? What are CATSA and the federal government doing with it?"
SOURCE: United Steelworkers (USW)
Marty Warren, USW, 416-243-8792, [email protected]
Boyd Bussey, USW Staff Representative, 709-727-8632, [email protected]
Denis St. Pierre, USW Communications, 416-544-5990, [email protected].
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